DE3422547A1 - Tamper-proof closure cap for containers - Google Patents

Description

Tamper-proof sealing cap for containers

The invention relates to a tamper-proof closure cap for containers according to the preamble of claim 1.

For containers in which materials are stored, for example are ingested by humans or the composition of which must not be adulterated, it is desirable to have sealing caps, which are tamper-proof and allow any unwanted opening to be detected before actual use. Closing caps that are used to close such Containers are used, often have a pouring opening that can be closed with caps or stoppers. Such caps are often constructed in two parts, one part containing the pouring opening and the other part consisting of the stopper for closing the pouring opening consists. The stopper is removable to open the container, the containers are often made of flexible materials, so that when Pouring the contents of the pouring process can be accelerated by squeezing the container.

Such stoppers must of necessity for normal use be easily removable. However, this easy removability also enables manipulation, in particular of the container contents, e.g. B. on the Path to the end user, which is undesirable. It is known to attach metal or paper foils as sealing caps over the sealing plug, which must be torn open before use. These seal caps cannot, however, sufficiently prior to tampering with the closure

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Protect them by using steam or similar aids can often be removed and reapplied without this being detectable. In addition, such security measures are in the Usually too expensive for mass use.

It is also already known to form the stopper as a physical part of the closure cap and to provide a tear strip that the stopper connects to the cap. With such a tear strip, a tamper-proof closure cap is created, since the opening of the Closure cap is associated with the tearing off of the tear strip, whereby a manipulation of the closure is recognizable. This type of closure cap requires that the stopper and the closure top from one Pieces are made and is therefore very expensive to manufacture.

It is therefore desirable to provide a closure cap in which a separately manufactured stopper can be attached to the upper closure part for closing a pouring opening and which is easy to open the cap makes possible, but an unwanted one Opening is recognizable. This tamper-proof closure cap should be easy and cheap to manufacture and easy to assemble and, on the other hand, a Do not allow misuse or removal from the container neck or only with extreme difficulty.

This task is for a closure cap according to the preamble of Claim 1 solved by the characterizing part of claim 1.

By means of these measures, a closure cap is provided which is provided with a pouring opening and which is equipped with a pivotably arranged stopper is lockable. The edge flange attached to the pivotable stopper protrudes beyond the pivoting area of the stopper and is connected to it in some areas. The edge flange engages over the upper part of the closure and thus prevents the stopper from pivoting. To after the edge flange is torn off, the plug can be swiveled,

HL54P-2839GH with which

with which the pouring opening is released and at the same time an opening of the Closure cap is inevitably recognizable.

In a further embodiment of the invention is in the upper part of the closure the pouring opening is arranged in a recessed area in which a hinge socket is also provided, in which one with the stopper connected flap is pivotably mounted. The edge flange, which is produced in one piece with the flap in partial areas, extends over the adjacent ones Areas of the upper closure part and the hinge socket and prevents the flap from pivoting. This edge flange runs preferably both laterally along the flap and over the hinge socket addition, wherein an end portion can be provided which protrudes beyond the upper part of the closure and serves as a grip edge for opening. With help this grip edge, the edge flange can be pulled off upwards and torn off from the flap carrying the stopper, thereby opening it can be.

In order to be able to recognize a manipulation of the closure cap, is at one Special embodiment provided that the edge flange has impressions that indicate that the cap is not yet open is. The surfaces of the upper part of the closure covered by the edge flange can be provided with further markings which show that the closure cap has been tampered with if these latter markings can be seen.

According to a further embodiment, on the underside of the edge flange pin-like projections can also be formed which engage in corresponding bores in the upper part of the closure. These protrusions can be on The upper part of the closure can be held with notches or welded to it, so that the closure cap can only be opened when the edge flange is torn off.

HL54P-2839GH It is further

It is also provided that the circumferential edge of the upper closure part on the inner surface with an inwardly protruding bead and furthermore with Thread sections is provided, these from the lower edge after run up into the bead. A closure cap of this type is used in conjunction with a container neck which is on its outer surface also carries a circumferential bead from which thread sections also extend to the upper end face of the container neck are appropriate. The bead on the outside of the container neck has an outside diameter that is larger than the inside diameter of the am Closure top attached bead is. Therefore, the closure top is made of a resilient material so that it can be on the Container neck can be placed and when closing can be moved with its bead over the bead located on the container neck. In its closure position is the bead of the upper closure part below the bead on the container neck and clamps the cap against the Container neck.

This gives an essentially non-removable cap, so that in connection with the edge flange they have a high level of security against manipulation, d. H. unwanted opening provides what is necessary when it should be ensured that the contents of the container are not added later can be falsified.

The invention thus offers in an advantageous manner a closure cap that a manipulation of the closure cap and in particular an impermissible opening of the pouring opening can be recognized. With the help of the edge flange is Such a backup is possible in a simple manner, the closure cap for the intended use very easily by tearing off the edge flange is to be opened. After opening it once, it is not possible to remove the traces that reveal the opening. Rather can through Attaching markings to create a clear indication that the closure cap was once opened.

HL54P-2839GH The advantages

The advantages and features of the invention are based on the Drawings referring embodiments explained in more detail. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a container with a Closure cap according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a section through the closure cap according to FIG. 1; 3 shows a plan view of the closure cap according to FIG. 1; 4 shows a section along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section along the line V-V of Fig. 3; 6 shows an enlarged exploded view along the sectional plane

according to FIG. 4 together with the upper edge region of the container neck;

7 shows a perspective view of a removable part of the outlet edge;

8 shows a section corresponding to FIG. 2 with the outlet open; 9 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 3 with the outlet open;

10 is a partially sectioned view of the closure cap and the Container neck for a modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig.ll is a side view of the closure cap on the container neck of a further embodiment of the invention.

In Fig. 1, a closure combination 10 is shown, which consists of a a neck portion adjoining a shoulder 12 of the container and a closure cap 13. This cap closes the opening of the neck and consists of a closure top 14 and one on it

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subsequent circumferential edge 15.

As can be seen in detail from the cross section according to FIG the cap 13 has a substantially circumferential edge 15, the has an open end 16 downwards and merges into the upper closure part 14 upwards. This upper closure part can consist of multiple ring sections, as can be seen from the drawing, or as be formed flat part. In the embodiment shown, the upper part of the closure has a pouring opening 20, which is provided with a stopper 21 which is located on the underside of a flap 22 can be closed. The flap 22 is pivotally supported in a hinge socket 23 which is formed in the central region of the upper part of the closure. The upper closure part can be provided with an enlarged edge portion which is corrugated on its outside and forms the essential part of the peripheral edge 15.

In the interior, the closure cap has an inner surface 30 assigned to the circumferential edge 15 and an inner closure flange surface 31. Furthermore, a closure plug 32 and a section 33 are provided which comprises a circumferential bead and partial threads.

This section 33 has a plurality of thread sections 34, the extend spirally upward from the lower open end 16 and terminate in an area in which the reduced diameter bead extends. This bead 35 is seen in the axial direction approximately in the Center of the peripheral edge between the closure flange surface 31 and the open lower end 16. Above the bead 35 is the The inner diameter of the wall is essentially constant and greater than the diameter of the bead. The section 38 with constant The diameter is dimensioned in a special way and adapted to the container neck, as will be explained in more detail below.

The upper end of the container neck is particularly clear from FIG emerged. The round neck opening has a circumferential face 40 and a threaded bead portion 41 which extends from top to bottom.

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There are a plurality of thread portions 44 on the outer surface attached, which cooperate with the correspondingly shaped thread sections 34 of the closure cap 13 and are adapted in their dimensions to this. These thread sections 44 run upwards from a circumferential bead 45. The circulating one Bead 45 has an outer diameter which is larger than the inner diameter of the bead 35 on the closure cap.

The thread sections 34 and 44 and the beads 35 and 45 are dimensioned in such a way that, in engagement with one another, they move the closure cap downward onto the container neck, that is to say toward the shoulder 12, when the two parts are rotated relative to one another. As a result of this rotation and simultaneous displacement of the closure cap on the container neck, widening of the peripheral edge 15 enables the bead 45 to move over the bead 35 and comes to rest on the underside of this. The thread sections 34 and 44 are made long enough to ensure that the outer bead is displaced over the inner bead and comes to rest on its underside. In this position, the threaded sections come out of engagement, so that the cooperating beads assume the position shown in FIG. Due to the flexibility of the material of the circumferential edge, there is a safe one radial overlap and axial contact between the two beads. Because the thread sections are no longer in engagement and there there may be no thread sections below the bead 45 on the container neck and above the bead 35 on the closure cap the closure cap can be rotated further, in any direction relative to the container neck, without it being axially displaceable as a result.

As can be seen particularly clearly from FIG. 5, the section 38 is constant diameter between the bead 35 and the closure flange surface 31, and also the radial distance between the inner surface this section of constant diameter and the outer diameter of the plug 32 so dimensioned that there is a snug fit for the purpose of sealing the container between the closure cap

and the HL54P-2839 + GH

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and the portion of the container neck lying above the bead 45 results. It can be seen that in one embodiment that has fully encircling beads 35 and 45, due to the dimensioning of the axial length of the section 38 of constant diameter for this it can be ensured that the end face 40 comes to rest on the closure flange face 31 and thereby as soon as the two beads are locked one behind the other, a further sealing area is created in addition to the two adjacent beads.

In certain embodiments, however, it may be desirable no circumferential beads to be used. In this case, by designing the thread sections with stop ends, these Thread sections themselves serve as stop surfaces around the face to brace the container neck against the closure flange surface. In this case, it may be desirable to cut the bottom of the Flatten the bulge on the container neck slightly so that a secure stop surface is created. In this configuration, however, there are none circumferential seal in the area of the bead, but only between the closure flange surface 31 and the end surface 40 of the container neck.

The sealing of the container can still be improved by the Use of the sealing plug 32. In the embodiment shown, the sealing plug 32 consists of a downwardly projecting one Edge 50, the outer diameter 51 of which is essentially equal to the inner diameter 52 of the container neck. As it is already known the stopper can be inserted into the container neck with a press fit, whereby due to the resilience of the plastic material the Outside diameter 51 can be slightly oversized so that it can only be inserted into the container neck with the application of pressure. It is also possible, on the protruding edge known sealing rings or to provide other surface configurations that serve for additional sealing.

Although a plug with a protruding edge 50 in the

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described embodiment is used, which is in the center of Closure top runs downwards, it is possible to use a solid stopper or a U-shaped turned-up edge for to use this purpose. Characterized in that the space in the region of the section 38 with a uniform diameter, the radially outside of the stopper is dimensioned according to the maximum thickness of the container neck, this thickness also including the thread sections 44, it can be ensured that the container is adequately sealed.

From the previous description it follows that the container closure consists essentially of a non-removable cap, which, however, can be applied with standard closure machines with which screw caps are placed. An essential The force acting in the axial direction is not necessary during the closing because the force acting in the axial direction is around the circumferential Widen the edge and move the outer bead over the inner bead, is applied by the rotating force and the force deflection at the thread sections. This makes it possible to use the Closure cap according to the invention also for flexible containers or To use containers with relatively thin walls. When the cap is fully placed on the neck of the container, the If beads overlap, as shown in FIG. 5, an essentially non-removable container closure is obtained. To this container lock To remove, it is necessary to widen the circumferential edge so that the beads no longer rest against one another. By a suitable selection of the dimensions and the materials it can be ensured that an unrecognizable or easy opening of the closure is excluded, although the closure can be easily applied.

For applications where the closure cap has a pouring opening 20 is provided and a stopper is used to close this opening, e.g. in the form of the flap 22 with the stopper 21 it is often desirable to exclude the contents of the bottle

falsifies HL54P-2839 + GH

falsified or the contents of the bottle are manipulated. To such a To prevent manipulation, measures should be provided which ideally make opening evident.

The invention therefore provides a mechanism for pivoting limit the flap to prevent the container from opening. The funds provided for this can be removed and allow an opening of the container, however, they do this after opening recognizable. The main indication here is the lack of a removed part. A second indication is that the removed part is a Releases imprint that expresses that on the container closure manipulation has taken place.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, there is a recess in the upper part of the closure 60 is formed, the side wall 61 of which is provided with two protruding knobs 62, which are inserted into the recess 60 from opposite Sides protrude. These knobs 62 are dimensioned such that they engage in recesses 63 on the side walls 65 in the area the closure flange surface of the flap 22 are attached.

From FIG. 3, in conjunction with FIG. 2, it can be seen that the pivotable flap 22 extends over the central part of the upper closure part 14 overlaps, the covered part e.g. comes and thus runs in the upper level of the cap.

In order to prevent the flap 22 from pivoting, a molded-on flap is provided Edge flange 70 is provided which extends laterally outward and protrudes in the rear part beyond the edge of the cap. This protruding end section 71 of the edge flange 70 is shown in FIG. 2 recognizable and extends backwards so far over the upper part of the closure 14 that a grip edge 72 remains on which the edge flange can be grasped from below. The grip edge 72 is the preferred one Embodiment made in one piece with the flap 22 and is with this in the areas 75 and 76 at the front end of the flap as well in the areas 77 and 78 in the vicinity of the pivot axis, i.e. in the vicinity of the recesses 63. Located in the remaining areas

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There is a gap 79 between the edge flange and the flap.

As long as the cast-on edge flange is connected to the flap 22 remains, opening the flap is impossible because the edge flange is not pivotable and has substantially a surface contact with the surface of the closure upper part.

In order to improve the surface contact or the support, are on the Underside 80 of the edge flange is provided in the area 75 and 76 pin-like projections 81 which are inserted into corresponding bores 82 in the upper part of the closure intervention. These pin-like projections 81 can be provided with barbs or barb-like elements, which are located in lock into place in the holes. Deviating from the embodiment shown, any other measures known from the prior art are possible can be used to hold the pins in the associated holes. For example, the bores can pass through the upper part of the closure run so that the pin-like projections extend to the bottom the cap, where they are deformed or riveted, for example in a cold or hot process. Techniques that can be used for this are available.

The principle function of the pin-like protrusions is to to lock the front part of the edge flange in the vicinity of the flap with the upper part of the closure. Since the areas 75 and 76 are proportionate are long, a significant force must be applied to tear open the connection between the edge flange and the flap. The latching of the flap with the upper part of the closure ensures that the flap does not open before the edge flange is removed is easy to open.

The connection in areas 77 and 78 can be shorter than that in areas 75 and 66, and is therefore easier to tear open. In addition, the connection areas 77 and 78 are from the end portion remotely so that a certain leverage is necessary to remove the edge flange from the hinged flap in areas 77 and to be separated when the end portion 71 is pulled upwards. A

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Further pulling up of the end section 71 then also causes that Tearing loose in the areas 75 and 76, with which the flap 72 comes free from the edge flange 70 and is released to open. During this separation of the edge flange, the pin-like projections 81 can either be pulled out of the bores 82 or torn off, see above that the torn off parts remain in the upper part of the closure.

Of course, the size or length of the areas 75 is determined to 78, in which there is a connection between the edge flange and the flap, according to the type of material used and the desired force which is necessary to remove the edge flange.

In Fig. 7, the edge flange 70 is shown alone, with one version is shown in which, after the edge flange has been torn off, the pin-like projections 81 have remained on the latter. For the depicted The case is the edge flange in the areas 75 to 78 of the flap 22 been demolished. In Fig. 8 the flap 22 is in the open position shown.

To provide a readable display that recognizes tampering 3, the edge flange is provided with a word embossing 85 on the upper side. This word coining can, for example, be the Have meaning "sealed". In addition, the upper closure part 14 be provided below the edge flange with a further word embossing 86 according to FIG. 9, which in the closed state of the closure cap is covered by the edge flange 70. Only after removing the edge flange 70 is this word embossing visible and can indicate that the cap has been opened. This state is shown in FIG. 9.

Although a closure cap has been described in the foregoing, in which this can be seen after opening, are also occasionally Measures are desirable which make it possible to open a closure cap, whereby this opening should be easy and the closure cap can be re-attached to the container neck for sealing.

One such HL54P-2839 + GH

Such a configuration is with the closure cap according to The invention is possible in a simple manner and is explained in more detail in FIGS.

As in the above-described embodiment of the closure cap Removal is prevented by the interlocking beads 35 and 45, the embodiment of FIG. 10 provides that the outer bead 35 can be removed when opening the cap. For this purpose, the circumferential edge can be provided with a predetermined breaking point be, which lies above the bead 35 and consists of a circumferential strong weakening of the material. In addition, at the bottom In the area between the initial break line, i.e. the weakening 100, an axially extending predetermined breaking area can be provided, which extends up to extends lower open end 16 and is also designed in the form of a material weakening 101. In addition to this downwardly extending line of breakage, a flap 102 is provided so that the can tear the lower edge of the cap along the SoUbruchlinie and tear. For this purpose, the grip tab 102 is first used Pull up in the direction of the upper part of the closure so that a separation along the weakening 101 results. Then the lower edge is cut lengthways by a sideways pull demolished the circumferential SoUbruchlinie. After tearing off the lower open end of the circumferential edge, which also includes the bead 35 and which includes thread portions 34, the remainder of the closure cap can be easily removed from the container neck.

As a result of the sealing engagement of the plug 32 and also the remaining upper part of the circumferential edge in the area of section 38 of constant diameter is easily obtained Removable and attachable cap which, with the help of the cap, enables the container to be properly sealed.

In Fig. 11, a further variation of the invention is shown, with the a cap that cannot be removed can be changed to such an extent that it is also removable. In this embodiment

a grip tab HL54P-2839 + GH

a grip tab 103 at the lower open end of the circumferential edge provided, from both sides of predetermined breaking lines 104 axially upwards extend over the bead 35 and end at a predetermined breaking line 106. By pulling the grip tab 103 upwards, it is brought together with the section of the bead 35 torn from the circumferential edge, as a result of which this edge is considerably weakened in terms of its strength and allows expansion in the lower area. Through this the cap can also be removed if the removal of the grip tabs 102 or 103 is to be further simplified, can be provided in the transition area from the perpendicular predetermined breaking line to the circumferential predetermined breaking line areas 105, which are cut out. However, cutting out these areas is not always necessary. However, the grip tabs can be torn off lengthways facilitate the predetermined breaking lines. It is also provided for the weakening to be carried out less strongly in the area of the predetermined breaking line 106 so that this area does not tear off when the grip tab 103 is torn open and the handle flap only swivels upwards in this area without tearing off. So that the removal of the cap and the Reconnecting will be made easier.

It is readily apparent that the measures as shown in the figures are also applied to closure caps that differ in their design from the shape of the exemplary embodiments. For example, the upper part of the fastener can be used without a circumferential Flange and diameter smaller upper portion can be formed, and still all the essential features of the invention exhibit. It is also possible to apply the measures according to FIGS. 10 and 11 to a closure cap that does not have a pivotable one Flap is provided to release a pouring opening.

HL54P-2839 + GH

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Claims (16)

Claims 1. Tamper-evident closure cap for containers with a container neck, which has a pouring opening in the area of the upper part of the closure, which can be closed or released with a pivotably arranged stopper is characterized by - That with the pivotably arranged stopper (21, 22) an edge flange (70) is formed in one piece over partial areas (75-78), - That a section (71) of the edge flange (70) over the pivoting range of the plug (21, 22) protrudes, - That with the pivotable plug (21, 22) connected Edge flange (70) opposes movement of the stopper from the closed position into the open position, - And that the sub-areas (77, 78) a rapid detachment of the edge flange (70) allow the pivotable stopper (21, 22), whereby a manipulation of the closure cap can be recognized. 2. Closure cap according to claim 1, characterized in that - That the plug (21) on the underside of a pivoting flap (22) is trained, - That the upper closure part (14) has a hinge socket (23), in which side walls (65) of the flap (22) protrude and accommodate them pivotably, this hinge socket being formed at a distance from the pouring opening (20), - That by pivoting the flap (22) in the hinge socket (23) of the Stopper (21) can be brought from the closed position into the open position, - and that in the locked position the one protruding beyond the top part of the lock Section (71) of the edge flange (70) is arranged on the side opposite the plug with respect to the hinge socket. 3. Closure cap according to claim 2, characterized in that - That the flap between the plug (21) and the hinge socket (23) is designed as an elongated part, - That the edge flange (70) extends over the length of the flap at least from The area of the stopper (21) extends on both sides at least as far as the hinge socket (23) and that four sub-areas (75, 76, 77, 78) are present are, in which the edge flange (70) is integrally connected to the flap in the closed position. 4. Closure cap according to claim 3, characterized in that - That the partial areas (65, 66, 67, 68) in pairs next to the stopper (21) and are formed next to the hinge socket (23) between the edge flange and the flap. 5. Closure cap according to claim 4, characterized in that that the partial areas (75, 76) next to the stopper (21) are formed over a longitudinal extent as an easily tearable connection which is longer than which are also easily tearable sub-areas next to the hinge socket. - 3 -HL54P-2839GH 6. Closure cap according to claim 5, characterized in that devices are attached to the edge flange (70) with which the edge flange can be fastened to the upper part of the closure. 7. Closure cap according to claim 6, characterized in that the devices consist of pin-like projections (81) on the underside of the edge flange (70) are formed, which extend into corresponding bores (82) in the upper closure part (14). 8. Closure cap according to claim 7, characterized in that that the pin-like projections (81) can be retained in the bores (82). 9. Closure cap according to claim 8, characterized in that that the pin-like projections (81) tear off when the edge flange (70) is torn off in the bores and the flap to open the pouring opening release. 10. Closure cap according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized characterized in that the section (71) of the edge flange (70) which is attached to the plug (21) relative to the hinge socket (23) is arranged opposite, with a handle edge (72) protrudes over the side wall of the upper closure part (14) and is easy to grasp to tear open. 11. Closure cap according to claim 10, characterized in that the side wall of the upper closure part has a reduced diameter has, so that the grip edge (72) of the end portion (71) does not have the protrudes outer diameter of the cap. HL54P-2839GH - 4 - 12. Closure cap according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterized, that the pivotable flap (22) carrying the stopper (21) on the upper closure part (14) over the pin-like projections (81) and the bore (82) and by means of knobs (62) and corresponding recesses (63) in the area of the joint mount (23). 13. Closure cap according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, characterized, that the upper closure part (13) on the container neck of the container (11) through interlocking locking elements (35, 45) is held, which prevent the removal of the closure cap from the container neck. 14. Closure cap according to claim 13, characterized in that that the locking elements consist of beads (35, 45), of which the bead (35) is formed on the inner diameter of the circumferential edge (15) of the upper closure part (14), and that a bead (45) on the corresponding The outer circumference of the container neck is attached, the outer diameter of which is greater than the inner diameter of the bead on the upper closure part and in the closed state of the container lies above the bead (35) on the upper part of the closure. 15. Closure cap according to claim 14, characterized in that that both on the inside of the circumferential edge (15) of the upper closure part (14) and on the outside of the container neck (12) thread sections (34, 44) are formed which extend over only a part To extend the circumference and end in the region of the beads (35, 45) so that the closure cap can be screwed on and at the same time be brought into place by widening the circumferential edge with little pressure can, wherein the beads (35, 45) lock together in the closed position and the thread sections disengage. HL54P-2839GH - 5 - 16. Closure cap according to claim 15, characterized in that that facilities (grip tabs 102, 103) are available which enable to remove at least part of the bead (35) on the circumferential edge (15) in order to be able to remove the closure cap from the container neck. HL54P-2839GH